Chapter 23 – The Gilded Age Begins! 30 year period after the Civil War – marked by graft and...

Chapter 23 – The Gilded Age Begins!

30 year period after the Civil War – marked by graft and corruption

EU: The Gilded Age left a permanent mark on American politics and the public’s beliefs about their government and officeholders.

http://dig.lib.niu.edu/gildedage/about.html

The Changing of America

•Industrialization – RR, oil, steel, millionaires, Westward expansion, cities, immigration

•Socialization – Labor violence, collapse of small farms, Populist party, monetary policy

•Government – corruption, laissez-faire


The 1868 Republican Ticket

The 1868 Republican Ticket

Pro-Reconstruction with Federal Power

The 1868 Democratic Ticket

The 1868 Democratic Ticket

No Reconstruction

SPLIT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!! MONETARY POLICY

Gold vs. Paper money! Very important!!!!!

Waving the Bloody Shirt!Waving the Bloody Shirt!

Republican “Southern Strategy” – Nast mocking

the DemocratsReconstruction

Irish immigrant Bedford – KKK Seymour

1868 Presidential Election


Grant won due to black vote => 15th amendment (1870)

15th Amendment15th Amendment Ratified in 1870.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Women’s rights groups were furious that they were not granted the vote!

Grant Administration Scandals

Grant Administration Scandals Grant presided over an era of

unprecedented growth and corruption.

* Credit Mobilier Scandal. (Colfax [VP] implicated)

* Fisk & Gould

* Whiskey Ring.

* The “Indian Ring.” – Belknap

* Salary Grab Act

The Tweed Ring in NYC

The Tweed Ring in NYC

William Marcy Tweed & His 40 Thieves (notorious head of Tammany Hall’s political machine)

[Thomas Nast crusading cartoonist/reporter]

Who Stole the People’s Money?

Who Stole the People’s Money?

And They Say He Wants a Third Term

And They Say He Wants a Third Term

The Election of 1872The Election of 1872 Rumors of corruption

during Grant’s first term discredit Republicans.

Horace Greeley runsas a Democrat/LiberalRepublican candidate.

Platform:Civil Service Reform

End RR subsidies

End Military Reconstruction

Lower tariffs

Free trade



“Grant Us Another Term!”

The Panic of 1873 – 6 yr depression (farmers & blacks hurt most)

The Panic of 1873 – 6 yr depression (farmers & blacks hurt most)

Causes – overbuilding of: RR, manufacturing, agriculture & too many loans, Species Redemption Act

It raises “the moneyquestion.”

* debtors seek inflationarymonetary policy bycontinuing circulation of greenbacks. Easy Money

* creditors, intellectuals support Hard Money.

1875 Specie Redemption Act – withdrawal of paper money by Treasury => contraction => depression

1876 Greenback Party formed & makes gains in congressional races The “Crime of ’73’!

Legal ChallengesLegal Challenges The Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) LA state law closed

all private slaughterhouses and put them under state control, @ issue was “individual rights” of 13th and 14th amendment. Supreme Court ruled that state rules are not guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendment, this applies to federal institutions only. Significance -sought to secure Blacks rights.

Bradwell v. IL (1873) Myra Bradwell applied for state bar as an atty – denied b/c of gender. Sued under protection of 14th amendment (lost!)

U. S. v. Cruickshank (1876) (Colfax Massacre – Easter) Blacks were assembled outside a court house, attacked by white militia. 2 of the white militia were arrested for trying to deny federal rights. SC decision again, 14th amendment only applies to federal laws and rights.

U. S. v. Reese (1876) – Black had sued for voting rights against KY poll restrictions.

Northern Support WanesNorthern Support Wanes “Grantism” & corruption.

Panic of 1873 [6-yeardepression].

Concern over westwardexpansion and Indian wars.

Key monetary issues:

* Easy Money V Hard Money

1876 Presidential Tickets1876 Presidential Tickets

The Political Crisis of 1877

The Political Crisis of 1877

“Corrupt Bargain”Part II?

Hayes PrevailsHayes Prevails

Promises:

End military occupation

Build Southern RR (nope!)

Alas, the Woes of Childhood…

Alas, the Woes of Childhood…

Sammy Tilden—Boo-Hoo! Ruthy Hayes’s got my Presidency, and he won’t give it to me!

Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”Two-Party “Balance”

Intense Intense Voter Voter

Loyalty Loyalty to theto the

Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

Intense Intense Voter Voter

Loyalty Loyalty to theto the

Two MajorTwo MajorPolitical Political PartiesParties

Well-Defined Voting Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

Well-Defined Voting Well-Defined Voting BlocsBlocs

DemocraticBloc

DemocraticBloc

RepublicanBloc

RepublicanBloc

White southerners(preservation ofwhite supremacy)

Catholics

Recent immigrants(esp. Jews)

Urban working poor (pro-labor)

Most farmers

Northern whites(pro-business)

African Americans

Northern Protestants

Old WASPs (supportfor anti-immigrant laws)

Most of the middleclass

Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

Very Laissez Faire Very Laissez Faire Federal Govt.Federal Govt.

From 1870-1900 Govt. did verylittle domestically.

Main duties of the federal govt.:

Deliver the mail.

Maintain a national military.

Collect taxes & tariffs.

Conduct a foreign policy.

Exception administer the annual Civil War veterans’ pension.

The Presidency as a The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

The Presidency as a The Presidency as a Symbolic OfficeSymbolic Office

Party bosses ruled.

Presidents should avoid offending anyfactions within theirown party.

The President justdoled out federal jobs.

1865 53,000 people worked for the federal govt.

1890 166,000 “ “ “ “ “ “

Senator Roscoe Conkling

1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansElection: Republicans

1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: RepublicansElection: Republicans

Half BreedsHalf Breeds StalwartsStalwarts

Sen. James G. Blaine Sen. Roscoe Conkling (Maine) (New York)

James A. Garfield Chester A. Arthur (VP)

compromise

MUGWUMPS!

1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats1880 Presidential 1880 Presidential

Election: DemocratsElection: Democrats

Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity

ShopShop

Inspecting the Inspecting the Democratic Curiosity Democratic Curiosity

ShopShop

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection


ElectionElection

The Solid South!

1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!1881: Garfield 1881: Garfield Assassinated!Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:The Fox in the Chicken The Fox in the Chicken

Coop?Coop?

Chester A. Arthur:Chester A. Arthur:The Fox in the Chicken The Fox in the Chicken

Coop?Coop?

Arthur does not support the Republican agenda… moves toward reform

Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)

Civil Service Act.

The “Magna Carta” of civil service reform.

1883 14,000 out of117,000 federal govt.jobs became civilservice exam positions.

1900 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal govt. jobs.

EFFECT: Politicians turn to big business for $$$

TheTheMugwumpsMugwumps

TheTheMugwumpsMugwumps

Men may come and men may go, but the work of reform shall go on forever. Will support

Cleveland in the1884 election.

1884 Presidential 1884 Presidential ElectionElection


Grover Cleveland James Blaine * (DEM) (REP)

“Mulligan Letters” and “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”

Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion!

Rum, Romanism & Rum, Romanism & Rebellion!Rebellion! Led a delegation of

ministers to Blaine inNYC.

Reference to the Democratic Party.

Blaine was slow torepudiate the remark.

Narrow victory forCleveland [he wins NYby only 1149 votes!].

Dr. Samuel Burchard

Little Lost Little Lost MugwumpMugwumpLittle Lost Little Lost MugwumpMugwump

Blaine in 1884

A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign

A Dirty A Dirty CampaignCampaign

Ma, Ma…where’s my pa?He’s going to the White House, ha… ha… ha…!


ElectionElection


ElectionElection

Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm

Cleveland’s First Cleveland’s First TermTerm The “Veto Governor” from New

York.

First Democratic elected since 1856.

A public office is a public trust!

His laissez-faire presidency:

Opposed bills to assist the poor aswell as the rich. “Pork Barrel Bills”

Vetoed over 200 special pension billsfor Civil War veterans!

Billion Dollar Congress

Bravo, Señor Bravo, Señor Clevelando!Clevelando!Bravo, Señor Bravo, Señor Clevelando!Clevelando!

The Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff IssueThe Tariff Issue After the Civil War, Congress raised

tariffs to protect new US industries.

Big business wanted to continue this;consumers did not.

1885 tariffs earned the US $100 mil. in surplus!

President Cleveland’s view on tariffs????

Tariffs became a major issue in the 1888presidential election.



Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (DEM) * (REP)

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

Coming Out for Coming Out for HarrisonHarrison

The Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen YetThe Smallest The Smallest Specimen YetSpecimen Yet


ElectionElection


ElectionElection

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Disposing the Disposing the SurplusSurplus

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion

Changing Public Changing Public OpinionOpinion

Americans wanted the federal govt. to dealwith growing soc. & eco. problems & to curbthe power of the trusts:

Interstate Commerce Act – 1887

Sherman Antitrust Act – 1890

McKinley Tariff – 1890

Based on the theory that prosperityflowed directly from protectionism.

Increased already high rates another 4%!

Rep. Party suffered big losses in 1890 (evenMcKinley lost his House seat!).

The Populists (People’s Party)

• James Weaver– Unlimited silver coinages– Graduated income tax*– Gov’t controlled utilities*– Direction election of Senators*– 1 term President– Direct vote at state level– Decreased work hours*– Immigration restriction*



Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison again! * (DEM) (REP)


ElectionElection


ElectionElection

Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast!

Cleveland Loses Cleveland Loses Support Fast!Support Fast!

The only President to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Blamed for the 1893 Panic.

Defended the gold standard.

Used federal troops in the 1894Pullman strike.

Refused to sign the Wilson-GormanTariff of 1894.

Repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.

The “Gilded Age” Effect

Working in small groups, complete the following tasks:

1. Brainstorm a list of 10-15 political, social and economic effects of the G.A.

• (Example: Government corruption => public suspicion of gov’t officials)

2. Pick 3 YOU believe to be the most influential in today’s culture

3. Provide an example for each of the three (Grant Administration’s Scandals)

4. Provide a link to today’s beliefs about government (All politicians are crooks)

5. Cite three examples (one for each topic from #3)


Chapter 23 – The Gilded Age Begins! 30 year period after the Civil War – marked by graft and...

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